Premier League Matchweek 35: What the stats say

Leicester City v Newcastle United
7 May 2021

Leicester City have won eight of their last 10 Premier League games against Newcastle United (L2), having won just three of their first 17 against them in the competition (D5 L9).

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Since they were promoted back to the Premier League in 2017, Newcastle United have won two of their three away league games against Leicester City, though they did lose this exact fixture 5-0 last season.

Leicester City have won just one of their 11 Premier League games played on a Friday (D4 L6), with that being their famous 9-0 victory over Southampton last season. At home, the Foxes have drawn one and lost two of their three Friday Premier League games, with two of those coming against Newcastle United (1-1 December 2003, 0-1 April 2019).

Newcastle United have won three of their last six Friday Premier League games (D1 L2), having won just one of their first eight such matches in the competition (D2 L5).

Leicester City have won back-to-back home league games for the second time in 2021, having done so just once in the whole of 2020. However, the Foxes haven’t managed more than two consecutive home league wins since December 2019 (a run of 7).

Just 8% of Leicester’s Premier League goals this season have come from a set-piece situation (5/61, excluding penalties), the lowest ratio in the division this term.

Newcastle have scored a league-low 33 per cent of their Premier League goals in the first half of games this season (12/36). Indeed, the Magpies have only been leading at halftime in four Premier League matches this term, with only Sheffield United (3) doing so on fewer occasions.

Since joining Leicester in 2018, James Maddison has scored more goals against Newcastle in all competitions than he has versus any other side (3). Indeed, the midfielder has netted in each of his last three appearances against the Magpies.

Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho has been involved in 11 goals in his last eight Premier League appearances (9 goals, 2 assists), more than he had in his previous 57 in the competition (6 goals, 4 assists).

Newcastle’s Joe Willock has scored in each of his last three Premier League games, having netted in just two of his first 47 appearances in the competition. These goals have been an 85th-minute equaliser, an 82nd-minute winner and a 90th-minute equaliser against sides in the top seven.

Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur
8 May 2021

After a run of six consecutive victories against Spurs in the Premier League between 1999 and 2001, Leeds are winless in their last six against them in the competition (D1 L5), losing the last three in a row.

Tottenham have won three consecutive league games against Leeds, their longest ever winning run against the Whites. They’re looking to pick up back-to-back league wins at Elland Road for the first time since October 1979.

This is the first time Leeds are hosting Tottenham in any competition since January 2013, when the Whites won an FA Cup tie 2-1 courtesy of goals from Luke Varney and Ross McCormack.

Leeds could become the first side to remain unbeaten at home in the Premier League against each of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Spurs in a season since West Ham in 2015-16, and only the third newly promoted side to do so, after Ipswich Town in 2000-01 and Birmingham City in 2009-10.

Leeds have scored a league-high 24 per cent of their Premier League goals this season from outside the box (12/50), with no side netting more from distance in total than the Whites coming into this weekend’s games (12, level with Leicester).

Tottenham have scored at least once in each of their last 11 Premier League games, the longest current run in the competition. Indeed, only Manchester City (31) have scored in more different Premier League games this season than Spurs (28).

There is an age difference of 35 years and 327 days between Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa and Tottenham’s Ryan Mason, the second biggest gap between two managers meeting in the competition, after Bobby Robson and Chris Coleman (37 years, 112 days).

Ryan Mason has become the fourth Tottenham manager to win his first two Premier League games in charge of the club, after Glenn Hoddle, Mauricio Pochettino and José Mourinho – all three of those lost their third game. Indeed, no manager has ever won their first three top-flight games in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

Patrick Bamford has failed to score in any of his last five Premier League games for Leeds, his longest drought in league competition since a run of seven in February 2020. He’s scored four goals in his last 17 Premier League matches, having netted 10 times in his first 17 for Leeds in the competition.

Gareth Bale has scored nine Premier League goals for Tottenham this season. One more goal for the Welshman would be the longest gap between 10+ goal seasons in the competition’s history (8), overtaking Paul Scholes and Kanu who each went seven campaigns between netting double figures.

Sheffield United v Crystal Palace
8 May 2021

Sheffield United have won their last three home league games against Crystal Palace, with this run stretching back to December 2009. Their last home league defeat against the Eagles was in December 2007 (0-1).

Crystal Palace are looking to complete their first league double over Sheffield United since the 2007-08 Championship campaign. This was also the last time they won a league game at Bramall Lane, 1-0 thanks to a James Scowcroft goal.

This is Crystal Palace’s 10th Premier League game in the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off slot this season, more than any other side (W6 D0 L3). It’s just the 32nd such game to take place this term, meaning the Eagles have been involved in 31 per cent of them.

Crystal Palace have lost just two of their last 20 Premier League games against sides in the relegation zone (W12 D6), going down 0-2 at Aston Villa in July and 0-1 at Burnley in November 2020.

Sheffield United are looking to secure back-to-back home league wins for the first time since a run of four in July 2020. However, the Blades have lost 27 of their 34 league games this season, the most they’ve ever suffered in a single campaign.

Crystal Palace have lost three consecutive league games for the first time this season, their longest run since a run of seven in July 2020. The Eagles have also failed to score more than once in any of their last eight league games (5 goals in total).

Sheffield United have scored the fewest goals (18), have had the fewest shots on target (92), have the lowest shot conversion rate (6.36 per cent) and have failed to score in the most games (19) in the Premier League this season.

Sheffield United have conceded a league-high 13 Premier League goals from outside the box this season – only in 1992-93 (also 13) have they conceded as many from distance in a single campaign in the competition.

Sheffield United’s David McGoldrick has scored three league goals in eight appearances against Crystal Palace, though his last goal against them came exactly 10 years and one day ago, in a 3-0 win for Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park.

Sheffield United’s Lys Mousset has played in 99 Premier League games, 78 of which have come as a substitute – should he feature against Palace, no player to appear in 100 matches in the competition will have seen a higher share come from the bench than the Blades striker.

Manchester City v Chelsea
8 May 2021

None of the last 11 Premier League meetings between Manchester City and Chelsea have finished level, with the Citizens winning seven to Chelsea’s four. Man City had only won seven of their first 36 Premier League meetings with the Blues (D7 L22).

Chelsea have lost their last three away league games against Man City by an aggregate score of 9-1. Their last win at the Etihad was in December 2016 under Antonio Conte (3-1).

Victory for Manchester City would see them win the Premier League title for the fifth time, with only Manchester United (13) winning the trophy more since its foundation in 1992.

Manchester City have lost only one of their last 24 home Premier League games against London sides (W20 D3), going unbeaten in each of their last 14 such matches (W12 D2), since losing 2-3 versus Crystal Palace in December 2018.

Manchester City have kept 18 clean sheets in 34 Premier League games this season, one more than they’d registered across the entire 2019-20 campaign – their highest such total in a single season in the competition is 20 in 2018-19.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have lost three home games in the Premier League this season, including two of their last three at the Etihad (W1) – the Spaniard has lost more home league games in 2020-21 than in any other campaign in his managerial career.

Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in 11 of their 15 Premier League games under Thomas Tuchel – the most shutouts recorded by any manager in their first 15 games in the competition’s history. The Blues are looking to win three league games in a row without conceding for the first time since November 2017.

Having failed to win any of his first five meetings with Pep Guardiola in all competitions, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel won the last meeting between the two managers in the FA Cup semifinal last month.

Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne has scored in each of his last three Premier League games against Chelsea. The last player to score in four consecutive appearances against the Blues in the competition was Carlos Tevez (5 between 2007-2010), while the only other players to do so are Ian Wright (1994), Alan Shearer (1997) and Muzzy Izzet (2001).

Kevin De Bruyne has scored four goals in total against Chelsea in the Premier League, the most of any player against the Blues who had previously played for them in the competition.

Last time out versus Fulham, Mason Mount (22y 111d) became the youngest Englishman to reach 10 Premier League assists for Chelsea and the second youngest of all Chelsea players behind Arjen Robben (21y 252d). Since the start of last season, Mount has created 130 goalscoring chances in the Premier League, 54 more than any other Chelsea player in this period.

Liverpool v Southampton
8 May 2021

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six home league games against Southampton (W4 D2), winning the last three by an aggregate score of 10-0.

Southampton are looking to complete the league double over Liverpool for just the third time in their history, previously doing so in 1960-61 (Second Division) and 2003-04 (Premier League).

Liverpool have conceded at least once in each of their last eight Premier League home games. Only twice have they had longer runs without a home clean sheet in the competition, going nine games between September – December 1996 and nine between December 1998 – May 1999.

Liverpool have won just six points from their last 30 available in Premier League home games (W1 D3 L6). They had only dropped 22 points from their previous 66 league games at Anfield (W55 D11 L0).

Southampton have earned fewer points than any other Premier League side so far in 2021 (11 – W3 D2 L13), with the Saints also conceding a league-high 40 goals so far this calendar year.

Southampton have dropped more points from winning positions in the Premier League this season than any other side (23).

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored seven goals in seven Premier League appearances against Southampton, including five in three against them at Anfield.

Since leaving Liverpool, Southampton striker Danny Ings has scored in two different Premier League games against them – only Nicolas Anelka (4) has scored in more different Premier League games against the Reds having previously played for them in the competition.

Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has been involved in seven Premier League goals this season (2 goals, 5 assists) – no defender has had a hand in more in the competition this term.

No Southampton player has been involved in more Premier League goals this season than James Ward-Prowse (14 – 8 goals, 6 assists). His eight goals are the most he’s ever scored in a top-flight campaign, while only in 2014-15 did he register as many assists (also 6).

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton and Hove Albion
9 May 2021

Wolves have won just one of their last 13 league meetings with Brighton (D8 L4), with each of the last four games between the sides ending level.

Brighton haven’t lost an away league game against Wolves since April 2006, winning one and drawing five since. The Seagulls have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four league visits to Molineux, though three of those games have finished 0-0.

Wolves have never won a top-flight game against Brighton in 11 attempts (D4 L7) – it’s the most one team has faced another in English top-flight history without recording a win.

Wolves have failed to score in eight of their 11 top-flight meetings with Brighton. They’ve netted six goals against the Seagulls in total, with half of these coming in their 3-3 draw in the reverse meeting.

Wolves have lost three of their last four Premier League home games (W1), as many as they had in their previous 12 at Molineux (W5 D4).

Brighton have won six of their 18 league games so far in 2021 (D6 L6), already one more than they managed in the whole of 2020 (W5 D16 L13).

Wolves have scored more than two goals in just one of their last 37 Premier League games (36 goals in total), doing so in their 3-3 draw with Brighton in January.

Only league leaders Manchester City (74) and last season’s champions Liverpool (55) have had more high turnovers that end in a shot in the Premier League this season than Brighton (52).

Wolves winger Adama Traoré has completed 137 successful dribbles in the Premier League this season, at least 52 more than any other player. The Spaniard has also carried the ball a total of 7156 metres this term, a further distance than any non-defender in the Premier League.

Brighton’s Danny Welbeck has scored five Premier League goals this season, last netting more in a single campaign in 2013-14 with Manchester United (9). His next goal will be his 50th in the Premier League.

Aston Villa v Manchester United
9 May 2021

Aston Villa have picked up just one win in their last 44 Premier League games against Manchester United (D11 L32) and are winless in their last 16 against them since a 1-0 win at Old Trafford in December 2009.

Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 21 Premier League away games against Aston Villa (W14 D7) since a 3-1 loss on the opening day of the 1995-96 campaign. It’s the longest unbeaten away run one side has had against another in English league history.

In all competitions, Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 21 away games against Aston Villa since a 3-0 League Cup loss in October 1999. Only Liverpool at Sunderland (23 between 1959-2002) have had a longer unbeaten away run against an opponent in English football.

Aston Villa’s 14 clean sheets this season is their most in a single Premier League campaign since 2009-10 (15). However, the Villans have conceded at least once in each of their last seven games, with no Premier League side on a longer current run without a clean sheet.

Aston Villa are looking to secure back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since December. However, they’ve not beaten a team in the top two in the Premier League since March 2014 (1-0 vs Chelsea), drawing three and losing nine of their 12 such games since.

Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 24 Premier League away games (W15 D9), just three short of Arsenal’s all-time top-flight record between April 2003 and September 2004. In their 10 away league games so far in 2021, Manchester United have kept seven clean sheets and conceded just once in each of the other three.

Manchester United have lost just one of their last 27 Premier League matches (W17 D9). Indeed, the Red Devils are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League, winning seven and drawing six since their 1-2 home loss to Sheffield United in January.

Man Utd’s Bruno Fernandes has scored in both of his Premier League games against Aston Villa. Both goals came from the penalty spot, and both goals ended up being the winning goal of the game.

After a run of one goal in 13 Premier League games, Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi has scored in his last two top-flight appearances, including the winner at Everton last time out.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has initiated six open play sequences of play that have ended in a goal in the Premier League this season – no player has done so more often (Youri Tielemans also six).

West Ham United v Everton
9 May 2021

West Ham are looking to complete their first league double over Everton since 1972-73, following their 1-0 win at Goodison Park in January.

Everton have won more Premier League games overall (26) and more Premier League away games (11) against West Ham than they have against any other side in the competition.

Everton have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League away games against West Ham (W7 D4), with the Toffees failing to score just once in that run. However, that defeat did come with David Moyes in charge of the Hammers (1-3 in May 2018).

Everton have won four of their five Premier League games in London this season (L1), as many as they had in their previous 30 in the capital (D11 L15). The Toffees have never won as many as five games in London in a single top-flight campaign.

West Ham have won 17 of their 34 Premier League games this season, their most in a single campaign in the competition. They last won more in a top-flight season back in 1985-86 when they finished third (26 in a 42-game season).

Everton have won just one of their last seven Premier League games (D3 L3). However, 10 of their 15 league victories this season have come away from home. It’s their highest number of Premier League away wins in a season, with the Toffees last having more in 1984-85 (12).

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has faced West Ham’s David Moyes more often without ever winning than he has any other manager in the Premier League (6 – D3 L3). Meanwhile, Moyes has only faced Alex McLeish and Paul Lambert (both 7) more often without losing in the Premier League.

Michail Antonio has scored nine Premier League goals this season and could become the fifth West Ham player to reach double figures in consecutive campaigns in the competition after Tony Cottee, Frederic Kanoute, Carlton Cole and Marko Arnautovic.

No player has had more shots without scoring in the Premier League this season than West Ham’s Saïd Benrahma (30).

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored seven headed goals in the Premier League this season. The last player to net more in a single campaign was Roque Santa Cruz in 2007-08 (8), while the only Everton player to score more in a season was Duncan Ferguson in 1997-98 (9).

Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion
9 May 2021

Arsenal have won 10 of their 12 home Premier League games against West Brom, failing only in November 2004 (1-1) and September 2010 (2-3).

West Brom have lost each of their last seven Premier League away games against Arsenal by an aggregate score of 15-1.

Arsenal have scored in all 25 of their Premier League meetings with West Bromwich Albion, the best 100% scoring record one side has against another in the competition.

Victory for Arsenal would see West Bromwich Albion relegated from the Premier League for a joint-record fifth time (along with Norwich). It would be their 11th top-flight relegation (only Birmingham with 12 have suffered more), while it would be manager Sam Allardyce’s first relegation from the Premier League.

West Bromwich Albion have lost more top-flight matches against Arsenal (65) than they have versus any other side in their history, with 39 of those defeats arriving in London.

Arsenal have lost seven home Premier League games in 2020-21; they last lost more home league matches in a single campaign in 1929-30 (9), a season in which the Gunners finished 14th in the table.

After winning consecutive away Premier League games in April 2018, West Bromwich Albion have won just two of their subsequent 18 away games in the competition (D5 L11). Indeed, only Sheffield United (4) have collected fewer away points in the Premier League this term than the Baggies (11).

West Bromwich Albion manager Sam Allardyce has lost 17 Premier League games against Arsenal (W5 D7), only losing more games in the competition versus Manchester City (18). In fact, Allardyce has never won an away game against Arsenal in the Premier League (D3 L11), losing on each of his last nine visits.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang became the sixth Arsenal player to score 10+ goals in each of their first four Premier League seasons with the club after Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Olivier Giroud and Alexandre Lacazette. The Gabonese striker has also had a hand in 20 goals in 17 Premier League appearances against newly-promoted teams (16 goals, 4 assists).

Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has scored four goals in his three Premier League appearances against West Brom, netting a brace in the Gunners’ 4-0 win at the Hawthorns in the reverse fixture.

Fulham v Burnley
10 May 2021

Fulham have won eight of their last nine home league meetings with Burnley, with the only blip in that run a 2-3 loss in March 2016 in the Championship.

Burnley have won just one of their five Premier League meetings with Fulham (D2 L2), losing both visits to Craven Cottage by an aggregate score of 7-2.

Burnley beat Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup earlier this season – the last time the Clarets won two away games against the same side in a season was vs Blackpool in 1992-93.

Since winning 1-0 at Liverpool to go level on points with Brighton in 17th, Fulham have picked up just one point from their last 18 available in the Premier League (W0 D1 L5) and are on the brink of relegation back to the Championship.

Burnley won 4-0 at Wolves in their last away league game and are looking for back-to-back wins on the road for the first time since July 2020. The Clarets have scored 12 goals in their last six away league games (2 per game), as many as they had in their previous 18 outside of Turf Moor (0.7 per game).

Fulham have scored just nine goals in their 17 Premier League home games this season, netting more than once on just two occasions. No English top-flight team has ever failed to reach double figures for home goals in a single campaign before.

Burnley have lost four of their last five Premier League games (W1), more than they had in their previous 12 in the competition (W4 D5 L3). The Clarets have opened the scoring in three of their four defeats in this run, including last time out against West Ham.

A league-high 29 per cent of Burnley’s Premier League goals this season have been scored in the opening 15 minutes of games (9/31). Meanwhile, only Crystal Palace (11) have conceded more goals in this timeframe than the Clarets (10).

Burnley’s Jay Rodriguez has scored five goals in seven appearances against Fulham in all competitions, including a brace in their 3-0 FA Cup win at Craven Cottage this season. Only against Nottingham Forest (6) has he scored more in English football.

Burnley’s Chris Wood has scored four goals in his last two Premier League games, as many as he had in his previous 14 in the competition.